Long Time, No See

IIIIIIIII: II

Denver

She's... Kissing me?

Her lips are unbelievably soft against mine...

Palpitations that were steadily growing inside my chest cease with every sweet movement of her lips on mine. The moment- although nothing like how I'd imagined it in the past- is still as reality bending and spectacular as anything I could have possibly imagined.

My hands hover awkwardly in the air around her, before slowly coming down around her body, sliding down her sides until they rest instinctually around her slim waist, bringing her in tighter to me.

I deepen the kiss, increasing the intensity while foregoing any base need for air.

All too soon she pulls away from me but I follow after her not ready to give up this moment. Nipping at her lips with short kisses, I try to pull her back into me, however, the sound of her slight giggling has me opening my eyes to watch her amusement at my eagerness.

Her eyes open slowly and she peers up at me, eyes doe like while she smiles gently up at me.

We stare at each other for just a moment before I lean in and steal another kiss from her. This time she doesn't pull away. In fact, her hands worm their way into my hair and she tugs at it slightly almost trying to pull me in closer to her.

Not that I'm complaining.

It's my turn to stop us now, allowing us to catch our breaths once again while I lean my forehead against hers. I take deep breaths to fully calm myself down, clear my head, and then suddenly I'm able to remember our previous conversation.

"I was so fucking worried," I confess whilst keeping my head against hers with my eyes closed.

She pulls away from me and I open my eyes seeing that she's bowed her head tiredly.

"I know." She says guiltily, still not making any eye contact with me.

Lifting her head softly with the tips of my index and middle finger, I coax her to focus back on me and fixate my gaze on her intensely drawing my eyes up from her puffy and slightly pouted lips while starting what I have to say with a serious tone.

"Promise me that you'll never do something dangerous like that again."

Reluctantly, she turns away from me with a deep sigh, wrapping her arms around her torso.

"I can't promise you that Denver," she says and I feel my face crease in confusion at her response.

"You can't? Or you won't promise that? I just told you how worried I was about you- I thought you understood how I felt Denise?" I ask, slightly sputtering in my confusion.

"I'm not saying I don't understand Denver, I'm telling you that what you're asking of me doesn't seem like something I'm ever going to be able to do for you," she answers turning and meeting my gaze head-on seriously despite the softness of her tone.

"I keep trying to tell you that things with me have changed and you keep telling me you understand but I don't think you do." She stops for a minute to look at me before stepping closer to me and raising her right hand to my face gently.

"I really appreciate your concern for me Denver but-" slowly her hand drops from my face, "I refuse to agree with playing the part of the distressed damsel to make you feel better, I'm over that chapter of my life and I haven't looked back."

She trails off looking to the side before looking up at me cautiously.

"Can you accept that? Because... Well... I'm willing to make this work, Denver. I want us to work. Because I really like you- God I like you! And I don't know whether it's the bump on my head right now or what Ava told me earlier but I just want you to know that I'm open to starting this- us - tonight, but I need to know if you can accept me for who I am now and not who I was before?"